The Subject of research in this publication are graphics that have cropped one reason or another (mostly marketing) and from video-cores of the highest class, but offered a much lower price. Such examples are the GeForce 9800GT, based on the G92 or truncated GeForce 9600GSO reduced with 64-bit bus to the GeForce 9600GT. There are two main reasons for the cut in capacity and technical specifications of video cards:
1) Need to fill a market segment in the lower price niche. Used cores are complete without defects, but their limitations are placed from the operating frequency, memory bus, workflow processors, modules and other textures. An example of such video is discussed below Radeon HD4830, on the basis of complete cores RV770, and in the HD4850 and HD3870. Such artificial cut is expensive for the manufacturer and is a temporary phenomenon, while the price will naturally fill a niche of a new and cheap nuclei (eg lack of low-priced Radeon HD4770 is offset by the expensive, but organic HD4830) or nuclei accumulate a minimum of marriage ” senior class;
2) graphics cores are high-class design and sophisticated with the passage of production builds up a marriage. When the marriage is minimal – 1-5% of the crystal, then the core is of work after being locked up and isolated the problematic unit (CPU workflow, texturing units, etc.).. An example of such video is discussed in this article, Radeon HD4730.
AMD / ATI is loyal to its main partners – PowerColor and Sapphire and provides these “intermediate” cores only to them, why not meet these models from other manufacturers. Even the “hit” 40nm-ov HD4770 is produced mainly by these two companies.
This test will involve mainly video cards trimmed with the high class graphics cores, but very close to maximum productivity.
The test machine is basically a powerful, high-AMD X2 6000 + (3.1GHz).
Incompleteness of Windows 7, Vista and the hate to sentimental feelings for Windows XP prompted us to conduct tests with OS WinXP SP3.
(more…)